FDA: Electronic Cigarette Regulations Are Under Review

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Oct 24, 2015

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sent out a final rule that will regulate the use of additional tobacco products to the White House for review these products include electronic cigarettes or more commonly known as E-cigs. The E-cigs are battery operated liquid nicotine vaporizing devices that have become famous in recent years as an alternative to the actual harmful cigarette.

The rule was proposed over a year ago and is now being finalized

The rule was sent to the White House Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs on Monday but it could take weeks before it is actually approved. The Office is going to look over this rule in the next 90 days, but that is not a strict deadline incase additional discussion is required, FDA spokesman Michael Felberbaum said while speaking on this matter:

“However, this timeframe can be extended to allow for additional interagency discussion,” he said. “At this time, the FDA cannot provide any further comment until the final rule is published.”

Up until now the only E-cigs under regulations were the ones that were advertised for being used for therapeutic purposes. As per the FDA’s initial proposal last year, E-cigs were subject to be redefined as ‘tobacco products’ the proposal was done to create awareness about E-cigs. In the initial proposal, sales of these nicotine vaporizing dispensers to minors were to be banned in the future. Also manufacturers should provide a disclaimer stating the health warnings related to nicotine of every product they sell according to the proposal. With other restrictions intact, manufacturers will also need to register the list of ingredients that they would be using to manufacture their E-cigs.

In June, last year, the White House’s Management and Budget Office eased up on some of the language on the regulations that could have prevented the online sale of E-cigs. This has irked Health advocated who argue that companies might use this to sell flavored E-cigs even to minors.

The American Lung association is also hoping for a speedy review of the regulations a spokesperson said:

“We remain deeply troubled that it’s taken 18 months from the time the proposal was released to now,” said Erika Sward, the group’s assistant vice president of national advocacy. “We need to move forward in protecting kids and public health.”